Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI)

The Los Angeles County Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Plan focuses on prevention and early intervention services, education, support, and outreach to help inform and identify individuals and their families who may be affected by some level of mental health issue. Providing mental health education, outreach and early identification (prior to diagnosis) can mitigate costly negative long-term outcomes for mental health consumers and their families.

On March 26, 2009, the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) approved L.A. County’s PEI Early Start Projects Plan in order to jump start the creation of PEI Services. On August 27, 2009, the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission approved the PEI Plan for Los Angeles County. The plans and their appendices may be downloaded below:

What is Prevention?
Prevention in mental health involves reducing risk factors or stressors, building protective factors and skills, and increasing support. Prevention promotes positive cognitive, social and emotional development and encourages a state of well-being.

What is Early Intervention?
Early Intervention is directed toward individuals and families for whom a short (usually less than one year), relatively low-intensity intervention is appropriate to measurably improve mental health problems and avoid the need for more extensive mental health treatment.

Los Angeles County PEI Projects

Based on community input from stakeholders, DMH developed thirteen projects that address the needs, priority populations, special sub-populations, and PEI programs selected by the stakeholders. Each project includes 4 components: (1) outreach and education; (2) training and technical assistance; (3) data collection, outcomes, monitoring, and evaluation; and (4) PEI programs consisting of evidence-based practices, promising practices, community-defined evidence practices, and pilot programs. Each PEI project is designed to address one or more key community mental health needs and one or more priority populations.